The Southern Virginia Higher Education Center’s Welding program held its first completion ceremony on December 10.

The ceremony recognized the first 15 students to enroll in Welding@SVHEC, a short term, accredited training program that provides students with instruction in MIG, TIG, stick and pipe welding. This non-credit program is accredited by the National Center for Construction Education and Research. Welding instruction takes place in the SVHEC’s new, state-of-the-art welding lab.

This program started in response to employer requests for more trained, certified workers. The SVHEC’s Workforce Services department worked with Virginia Technical Institute to bring this program to South Boston, Virginia.

Virginia has a nationally acclaimed education system which ensures businesses have a steady pipeline of skilled workers, and now adds another industry recognized program to Southern Virginia.

The Virginia Community College System provides occupational and technical training programs, many of which are designed specifically to meet the needs of surrounding employers. Welding@SVHEC is a great example of how Virginia works with both higher education and companies to provide students with industry specific skills. To learn more about Virginia’s 23 community colleges, located on 40 campuses around the state, click here.

Class of 2015 Welding@SVHEC completers and instructors in South Boston, Virginia.

The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing recently celebrated the graduation of its first class from the Transitioning Military and Veteran Training Program. This initiative provides advanced manufacturing and precision machining training for active duty and veteran soldiers preparing to enter the civilian workforce.

The program was developed through a collaboration among CCAM, the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission, the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, Southside Virginia Community College, the Crater Regional Workforce Investment Board, the Virginia Employment Commission, 180 Skills and the Fort Lee Soldier for Life – Transition Assistance Program.

Fort Lee’s Soldier for Life program identified a group of transitioning soldiers to participate in the inaugural class. This gave the soldiers the opportunity to receive training, free-of-charge, during the last few months of their enlistment to prepare them to quickly begin a civilian career.

Training took place at SVCC’s Emporia Center and included 162 modules of interactive, online learning and 300+ hours of hands-on training. Instructors were provided by SVCC and SVHEC.

The eight graduates received a Machining Skills Certificate from SVCC and five industry credentials, including OSHA 10 and 4 NIMS (National Institute of Metalworking Skills) certifications.

Employers in the region, including Enclos Inc., Jewett Machine Inc., Richmond Tooling Inc., Rolls-Royce, Coesia North America and Kosmo Machine Inc. actively supported the program by participating in the curriculum design and visiting and mentoring students along the way.

All eight graduates have received job offers.

“The motivation of the students and employers made this first class a success,” said CCAM Director of Workforce Development Bruce Sobczak. “Driven by feedback from local employers, we’re currently looking at expanding the curriculum to include industrial maintenance technician and industrial CAD drafter certifications, as well as adding a location to serve the military workforce in the Hampton Roads region.”

To learn more about the Transitioning Military and Veteran Training Program, contact Bruce Sobczak at bruce.sobczak@ccam-va.com.

More than 18,000 people exit Virginia military bases each year and enter the civilian workplace. This initiative is another shining example of the public-private partnerships that keep Virginia’s workforce at the top of their game. To learn more, click here.

The Transitioning Military and Veteran Training Program students celebrate their graduation with CCAM’s Bruce Sobczak (center) and their Fort Lee program managers (in uniform). Photo courtesy of CCAM.

The IT Academy offers a fast track for students to gain the knowledge and credentials to quickly obtain employment in the technology sector.

Seventeen students are enrolled in the first cohort, with classes scheduled Monday – Thursday evenings over a four month period. Afterwards, students can test for the Computing Technology Industry Association A+, Network+ and Server+ certifications. SVHEC is a member of the CompTIA Authorized Partner Program.

Classes will take place in the newly renovated, 5,013-square-foot lab at SVHEC in South Boston, Va. The lab includes a data center, hardware repair center, computer-based classroom and conference area to closely approximate a real-world environment.

“We are seeing what I call a market correction in education with an increasing emphasis on students earning third-party credentials. The hands-on, intensive nature of the program allows students to quickly learn the skills they need to be successful in the workplace. Initiatives like the IT Academy are critical to closing the skills gap and preparing the region with skilled workers needed for jobs available right here, right now,” said Dr. Betty Adams, executive director of the SVHEC.

SVHEC and its partners initially designed the academy’s core curriculum around the three certifications and will develop advanced training based on needs and recommendations from major employers in the region. SVHEC worked closely with the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative, ATOS/Microsoft and HP to launch the academy.

The academy was announced in September 2014 after the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification & Community Revitalization Commission approved grant funding. Governor McAuliffe gave the keynote address at the ribbon-cutting ceremony this June.

Dream It, Do It – Virginia hosted seven Manufacturing Technology Camps across the Commonwealth this summer. The camps are designed to reach out to high school students who are considering a career in manufacturing.

The three-and-a-half-day camps allow students to experience all levels of production, from raw materials to finished goods. Students also participate in tours, lectures and manufacturing demonstrations where they get to see the latest in automation and robotics from Virginia’s leading manufacturers.

Students in the Manufacturing Technology Camps also participate in a competition where they work with a team to complete an assignment that involves designing, building and running a manufacturing system. During the competition, students receive training and mentoring from industry experts. Students on the winning team receive scholarships to pursue STEM education tracks.

This summer, two camps were offered at Southside Virginia Community College in Keysville, two at Lake Country Advanced Knowledge Center in South Hill, and one each at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center in South Boston, at STIHL Inc. in Virginia Beach, and at ITAC in Chester. Halifax County posted a video from their Manufacturing Technology Camp here.

Dream It, Do It – Virginia is part of a national organization that provides access to on-the-job training and certifications to keep the existing manufacturing workforce up-to-date on the latest technology, as well as build awareness among youth about the many options and rewards a manufacturing career can offer.

The manufacturing jobs of today are very different from what manufacturing jobs in the past may have entailed. Virginia’s advanced manufacturing takes place in a clean, safe environment and requires high skill and high levels of education. Manual labor has largely been replaced with automation. An advanced manufacturing career today often involves managing the technical process to improve efficiencies and product throughput. The work is interesting and employees are rewarded with a competitive salary.

The Dream It, Do It – Virginia website provides a number of valuable tools for investigating a career in the Commonwealth’s advanced manufacturing industry. It allows students to assess their interests and skills to determine an area of focus, as well as view the educational requirements and career track for that specialty. You can also watch the recent Dream It, Do It – Virginia Third Wednesday Webinar by clicking here.

Businesses in the Commonwealth praise the experience and dedication of their Virginia workforce as one of their prime factors for success. Dream It, Do It – Virginia is one example of the many educational groups across the Commonwealth ensuring that Virginia’s workforce has the skills and training to match industry demand. To learn more, click here.

Students get hands on experience at one of the Manufacturing Technology Camps at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center in Halifax County, Va. Photo courtesy of Halifax County Industrial Development Authority.

The Center for Coatings Application, Research, and Education (C-CARE) was unveiled this Monday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in South Boston, Va.

C-CARE’s mission is to help commercialize solutions in the field of surface engineering and attract advanced manufacturing companies to the region by providing workforce training, R&D, and improved links between educational institutions and industry partners.

The 12,000-square-foot, climate-controlled facility includes a lab equipped with advanced robotics, reciprocating spray equipment, and virtual reality training systems. C-CARE’s lab will be used to test new coatings technologies and design solutions that increase product quality and efficiency for applications in the aerospace, automotive, construction, food, manufacturing and wood industries.

This two-year project is the result of collaboration between Halifax Industrial Development Authority, the Riverstone Energy Center, and the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center.

The American Wood Finishing Institute (AWFI) will operate and staff the facility. As a leading provider of coatings technology training and consulting, AWFI will offer C-CARE access to subject matter experts with real-world experience applying coatings to metal, wood, plastics and other composite materials.

C-Care augments Virginia’s existing strength in the advanced manufacturing sector, as leaders such as the Altria Group, DuPont, Honeywell, MeadWestvaco and Rubbermaid have all established operations in the Commonwealth.

To learn why Virginia is home to more than 6,000 manufacturing establishments, click here.

Virginia Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade for Rural Development Mary Rae Carter (center) joins members of C-CARE, industry partners, and state and local officials at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in South Boston, Va.

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About VEDP

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), a state authority created by the Virginia General Assembly to better serve those seeking a prime business location and increased trade opportunities, provides confidential site selection and international trade services. VEDP's mission: To enhance the quality of life and raise the standard of living for all Virginians, in collaboration with Virginia communities, through aggressive business recruitment, expansion assistance, and trade development, thereby expanding the tax base and creating higher-income employment opportunities.